US-EU Trade War: ‘Idiotic’ says French Finance Minister about Conflict
US-EU trade war tensions escalates as French Finance Minister Eric Lombard has denounced the growing trade conflict between the United States and European Union as “idiotic,” responding to President Donald Trump’s latest threat of imposing steep 200% tariffs on French and European alcoholic beverages.
“We need to talk to the Americans to bring the tension back down,” Lombard stated during an interview with France 2 television on Friday, March 14. “By doing this, the United States is hurting itself,” he added, characterizing the situation as an “idiotic war.”
Diplomatic Mission Planned Amid Rising Tensions
The French finance minister announced plans to travel to the United States “in the coming days” to meet with American counterparts in an effort to defuse the situation. This announcement follows what the French economy ministry described as a “frank and clear” phone conversation between Lombard, Foreign Trade Minister Laurent Saint-Martin, and US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick on Thursday.
Trump’s Latest Tariff Threats
President Trump’s threat to impose 200% tariffs specifically targets wine, champagne, and other alcoholic beverages from France and EU nations. This move could devastate European beverage exports to America, which reached approximately $5.2 billion in 2023 according to World Trade Organization data.
The American threat appears to be a direct response to the European Union’s Wednesday announcement of $28 billion in retaliatory tariffs on US goods, including bourbon, boats, and motorcycles, scheduled to begin implementation in stages starting in April.
Broader Context of Trade Hostilities
The current trade tensions represent a continuation of President Trump’s aggressive trade policy approach during both his terms in office. The Biden administration had worked to ease some trade tensions with Europe, but Trump’s return to office in January 2025 has seen a rapid resumption of his “America First” trade stance.
The European tariffs were themselves a response to US tariffs on steel and aluminum imports that took effect earlier this week, creating a cycle of retaliatory measures between the longtime allies.
Potential for Negotiation
Despite the escalating tensions, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen indicated on Wednesday that while the EU would “defend European interests,” the bloc remains “open to negotiations” with the United States to resolve the dispute. For now we can just imply that this US-EU Trade War is damaging both sides.
Economic analysts note that prolonged trade conflicts between the US and EU could significantly damage both economies and disrupt global supply chains at a time when the world economy faces multiple other challenges.
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